Joe Walker was honored several years after he lost his life in a midair collision, with the naming of Joe Walker Middle School in Quartz Hill, in 1972. This is in the Antelope Valley, near Edwards AFB, where Joe served as a test pilot.

In 2022, there were several major events held in honor of the 50th anniversary of the school's founding.

Artwork celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Joe Walker Middle School in Quartz Hill, California.

STEALTH stands for: Science Technology, Engineering, And Learning Through Humanities.

courtesy Joe Walker Middle School

— Joe Walker Day, 25 February 2022 —

First up was Joe Walker Day. On this occasion numerous stations were setup around the school where the students were rotated every 40 minutes so that they could experience each in turn throughout the very busy day.

Jim Walker speaks with a class about his father.

Tom Walker talking with the students.

(L-R) Joe Walker's granddaughter Lauren Tate (daughter of Jim Walker),

and Joe's kids: Beth, Jim, and Tom.

The Walker family is joined by test pilot Don Mallick. In the foreground are models of a few of the various aircraft that Joe flew as a test pilot.

Test Pilot Nils Larsen describes the X-59 QueSST.

Test pilot Glenn Graham.

A Lockheed Martin X-59 Quiet Supersonic Transport (QueSST) inflatable model.

X-15 artwork inside the school that was created using a wood burning set.

A large display set up by Michelle Evans highlighting the legacy of the X-15 and Joe Walker.

Michelle speaking with the students in the Joe Walker Middle School gymnasium.

After each talk, and the Q&A session, the students were invited to come up to see the photos, models, and artifacts up close, and to ask more questions of Michelle and Cherie.

A large group of students checking out the display area in the gym.

Test pilot Don Mallick was a friend of Joe Walker. Here he checks out the display.

Don Mallick with Joe Walker Middle School instructor Matthew Anderson.

Matt with Cherie and Michelle at the end of a long and tiring, but very productive, day.

This 1/15th scale model of the X-15A-2 is more than 4-feet in length.

A small-scale model of the B-52 mothership. The X-15 is unseen on the right wing.

The artifacts shown here were all recovered from X-15 no. 3 after the Michael Adams accident in November 1967. They were donated to Michelle through Dave Stoddard of the X-15 Rocket Shop. On the left are a wing and nose thruster rocket, while in the middle is a transducer, and at right is a mangled wing spar.

— The 1972 Time Capsule —

Matt Anderson was able to open the original time capsule after it was removed from its resting place near the front of the school. Many time capsules have been breached, but this one was in perfect condition. When Matt got the box open, the contents appeared as if they had been placed there just weeks before, not half a century ago!

Matt Anderson examines the time capsule to figure the best way to open it.

Mario Lilore of the Masons looks on. He was instrumental in getting the group involved.

The cornerstone plaque removed. The time capsule was behind this plaque.

The top removed, Matt prepares to extricate the contents.

NASA publications and a 16mm film, which includes an interview with Joe Walker.

Photos, posters, pamphlets, and newspapers from 1972.

Flanked by parents Joe and Grace, the Walker children in November 1964:

James P., Thomas D., and in front, Joseph B., and Elizabeth Ann.

Joe Walker (upper left) with organizers and competitors at a

Tropico Gold Mine gold panning contest. Also seen is Miss Rosamond.

(Above Left) Invitation to attend the Corner Stone Ceremony for the Joe Walker Junior High School on Saturday, April 1, 1972. (Above Right) Invitation to the dedication of the school on Saturday, February 26, 1972.

Grace Walker at the dedication of the Joe Walker Junior High School on 26 February 1972.

— The 2022 Time Capsule —

On 2 April 2022, a new time capsule was sealed, to be opened by the Joe Walker School in 2072. It is an honor to have a copy of my book on the X-15 and Joe Walker, along with all the others who made the program a reality, is now a part of this capsule. It is a humbling thought to know that the parents of the students who will one day open this new time capsule will not even be born until the 2040s or even into the 2050s.

The book that is placed into the 2072 time capsule.

TMichelle with her X-15 book on 2 April 2022, and the time capsule where it will reside for 50 years.

I write to those of you in the future who will have benefitted from this great school, and the legacy of a great man, Joe Walker. For those who may not be familiar with his contributions to flight, he was known as the best of the best as a test pilot. I hope that you’ll take a moment to read his story here to learn more about him, to hear his own words, and those of people who knew him, such as his wonderful wife Grace, and their children. I know that you will take up the banner of moving his legacy on to the next generation.

Ad Inexplorata!

M L Evans

2 April 2022

The title page inscription on the copy of Michelle's book that will rest within the Joe Walker Middle School Time Capsule through 2072.

— Joe Walker School 50th Anniversary Celebration, 2 April 2022 —

The final event to celebrate the school's 50th anniversary was held on Saturday 2 April 2022. The day prior to that Michelle also did her presentation "The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space" at the Quartz Hill Library.

Cherie and Michelle speak with two special guests on 1 April 2022 prior to the start of Michelle's X-15 talk at the Quartz Hill Library: Milton (Mac) McKay and Susan McKay Bishop. They are two of eight children of X-15 pilot Jack McKay.

Taking questions at the end of my X-15 talk at the Quartz Hill Library.

Michelle with Mac and Susan after the talk. Susan calls herself the "McKay Gang Caboose" since she is the youngest of eight children of Jack and Shirley McKay.

Michelle and Cherie taking a break at Matt and Liz Anderson's home after the Quartz Hill Library talk. They made fast friends with Tooter and Pepper.

Cherie with Joe Walker's son, Jim.

Felicia Goldovsky, Principal of Joe Walker School starts the event.

The Boy Scout honor guard bringing the flag to start the ceremonies.

Samuel Perez III playing the Star Spangled Banner.

Joe Walker School Board members Steve DeMarzio, John Curiel, and Bill Lindoff.

Brian Sandberg of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, co-founded by Joe Walker.

The Mason's group is introduced in their tuxes and even a kilt.

James McNeil (in cap) had his student body card placed in the 1972 time capsule.

Part of the crowd watching the talks to celebrate the school's 50th.

JWMS Instructors Willie Scott (ret.), Sonja Squires, Alix Oddo, and Matt Anderson.

Terra Wheeler and Kaylen Sandberg (daughter of test pilot Brian Sandberg)

The new cornerstone for the school provided by the Masons.

Checking out the display of new items that will be placed in the 2072 time capsule.

The original 1972 time capsule on display in the gym during the 2 April celebration.

Grabbing some food in the gym after the speeches.

A giant red, white, and blue cake in honor of Joe Walker School's 50th anniversary.

Checking out photos on display of the construction of the school in the early 1970s.

NASA film with Joe Walker and Robert White that spent 50 years in the time capsule.

Joe Walker's first son, Tom, with Cherie and Michelle's book.

50th Anniversary sign in the Joe Walker School window.

(L-R) Kristen Walker (daughter of Tom) and husband Eric Matheson, with their daughter Ally. Joe's daughter Beth Walker. Shepherd Tate,

with son James and wife Lauren (Walker) Tate (daughter of Jim Walker, granddaughter of Joe), with their daughter Mari, Joe's son Jim Walker,

Kim Walker (Tom's second wife), Joe's son Tom Walker, with Tom and Kim's daughter Kelly.

A perfect astronomical finish for the celebrations: Sun dogs on either side of the Sun.

Maybe we should have named the sun dogs Tooter and Pepper after Matt and Liz's wonderful puppies?

A close-up of the sun dog to the left of the Sun.